MECA DISTRIBUTING NATIVE SAPLINGS TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA) is distributing saplings of wild trees native to the sultanate among public as part of its efforts to combat desertification.

Dr Thuraya Said al Sariri, assistant director general of nature conservation in MECA said, “We started the initiative titled, A’Shjar in March and have already distributed around 2,124 saplings. We want people to plant these saplings in homes, schools and farms.”

Those interested in getting these saplings can visit the ministry’s nurseries in Salalah, Barka and Al Saleel Natural Park in South Sharqiyah.

Dr Thuraya said the initiative has been undertaken by the ministry to preserve wild trees keeping in mind their economic and medicinal values and impact on the ecosystem. “We are encouraging greenification through native wild plants so that we do not come across the problem of invasive species in future.”

The plants that are being distributed by the ministry include, Simr (Acacia tortillis), Sidr (Ziziphus spina-christi), Ghaf (Prosopis cineraria) and Sawqam/Gheydeh (Ficus sycomorus) among others.”